Combined letter and newspaper box



(No Model. I

L. 1-1. STONER.

COMBINED LETTER AND NEWSPAPER BOX.

Patented-Dec. 8, 1'891.

g 'BY y ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LIZZIE H. STONER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

COMBINED LETTER AND NEWSPAPER BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,932, dated December 8, 1891.

Application filed May 26, 1891. Serial No.394,l85. (No model.) 1

To 00% whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, LIZZIE H. STONER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter and Newsothers skilled in the art to which it apper-.

tains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to new and useful im provements in private mail or letter boxes; and the object of my improvement is to provide a letter-box of such shape and capacity as to receive, besides letters, newpapers, magazines, &c., and in which said mail will be protected from the wind, rain, and snow, as well as perfectly safe from mischievous dogs or from dishonest persons who have an inclination to appropriate to their own use papers, &c., which do not belong to them.

The further object of my invention is to provide a box wherein the mail is properly assorted, the letters being placed in one compartment, which is separate and distinct from the compartment containing the more bulky mail-matter.

My improved box is so constructed and arranged that while the slots or openings through which the mail is passed into the box are accessible for the purpose intendediand without inconvenience to the postman, they are fully protected both against the entrance of rain or snow and against the insertion of a hand or other devices for the purpose of extracting the mail therethrough.

The arrangement and construction of my improved box are such that when complete it presents a neat, finished, and attractive appearance, is of simple and economical construction, and durable and efficient in use.

My invention will be thoroughly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated an embodiment thereof, and wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mail-box; Fig. 2, an end view thereof; Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section on the line y Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a vertical longitudinal section on the line a: m, Fig. 3.

Referring now to these views, the referencenumeral 1 designates the post or wall, to which the box is secured by means of a strip of sheet metal 2, or there may be several strips 2, or the box may be secured in any approved manner. The box is of rectangular shape, and consists, essentially, of the rear and front walls 4 and 5, respectively, the end pieces 6, the top 7, and the bottom 20. The end pieces 6 are of a shape peculiar to my improved box, said pieces having their rear and lower edges at or approximately at right angles to each other, their upper extremity rounded and slightly pointed, and their front edges irregular, the upper portion being considerably wider than the lower portion, thereby allowing the roof to project over the front side of the box, so as to offer additional security to the contents thereof. The box is provided with an arched or rounded top or roof 7, which is slightly pointed, as indicated at 8. The front wall 5 of the box is provided with a card-receiver 9, wherein may be placed a card giving the name of the person whose mail is to be placed in the box, or, if desired, a note of directions or instructions for the postman may be placed therein. At a point a little above the center the front wall bends inward and extends inwardly to a partition 10, which is more particularlyhereinafter described. The portion of the front wall which is bent inward is designated by the numeral 11 and is provided with the letter-slot 12, through which the letters are passed.

Extending up through the box and dividing it into two vertical longitudinal compartments is the partition 10, said partition being located nearer the front than the rear of the box, thus dividing the box into two unequal compartments and making the compartment for letters much smaller than that for papers, magazines, &c. This partition is preferably shaped as shown in Fig. 3, so as to give greater security to the letters in the letter-compare ment as well as more room in the paper-compartment, and is provided near its bottom with a slot 14:,the object of which will be hereinafter set forth. This partition does not extend quite to the top or roof 7, sufficient space being left to allow papers, magazines, and other bulky mail-matter to be easily passed thereoverand into the larger compartment, still being sufficiently high to prevent a hand from being slipped into the compartment for the purpose of extracting anything therefrom.

The box is provided at one extremity with a suitable door 15, which is mounted on hinges 16 and provided with alock 17. Above the door is located a small hood 18, the object of which is to keep the rain and snow from blowing into the box over the door. Though this form of door is deemed the most desirable, it will be readily observed that various forms of doors may be employed.

When the door. is opened, the hand may be inserted into the larger compartment and the contents thereof removed, and in case the let-- ters in the letter or smaller compartment are inaccessible from the door a finger may be passed through slot 14 from the larger compartment, when the letters may be slipped along to the door, where they may be removed from the box.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A mail-box provided with a low front 'wall and a rear wall extending up over the space between the two walls and down to a suitable point in front, an opening in front between the forward extension of the rear wall and the top of the front wall, a partition dividing the space between the two walls into two separate compartments, said partition extending above the front wall, but having a space above for passing the mail to the rear compartment, the front compartment being provided with a suitable cover provided with a letter-slot, and means of access to the box for removing the mail, substantially as described.

4( 2. A mailbox divided by a suitable partition into two separate compartments, one in front for letters and the other in the rear for the more bulky articles, an arched roof continuous with the rear wall and extending over both compartments, a suitable space being left between the top of the roof and the compartment-partition, the forward compartment being provided with a cover in which is formed a suitable letter-slot, and a door giving access to the box, substantially as described. V

3. A mail-box having the space between the front and rear walls divided by a suitable partition into two unequal longitudinal compartments, the larger being in the rear, an arched roof to prevent access at the top, except for mail-depositing purposes, and a door at one end of the box, the partition between the compartments being provided with a slot whereby access is gained to the smaller compartment through the larger, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v LIZZIE TL STONER. Witnesses:

WM. MoOoNNELL, G. J. ROLLANDET. 

